Before "Detective Conan," Gosho Aoyama penned the manga "Yaiba" (also known as "CITY BOY"). This April, a new TV anime, "Shin Samurai-den Yaiba," premiered after decades, much to the delight of many fans.
Today (August 18), author Gosho Aoyama attended the "Shin Samurai-den Yaiba Ema Dedication Ceremony" at Tokyo's Senso-ji Temple, presenting the temple's first large ema in nearly a century. This impressive ema, crafted from a 200-year-old tree, features character illustrations personally drawn by Aoyama-sensei over three days, making its public debut at the event.
The ema's unveiling ceremony took place specifically in front of Senso-ji's iconic Five-Story Pagoda, adorned with character standees and decorative panels of Fujin and Raijin. Senso-ji boasts over 200 precious ema works dating back to the mid-Edo period. Aoyama's contribution is historically significant, marking the first new dedication in approximately 100 years since the Taisho era.
The grand ema was crafted by the Toyama Nanbu Hakuun Wood Carving Studio, which has a legacy dating back to Meiji 31 (1898 AD), and features Aoyama-sensei's hand-drawn illustrations of Yaiba Kurogane, the protagonist of "Shin Samurai-den Yaiba," and other characters.
Gosho Aoyama also shared some behind-the-scenes stories about the creation: "I used permanent markers and ink. The borders were meticulously carved by the sculptor, so I couldn't touch them. I had to draw half-squatting at a table for three days, which was incredibly tough." He chuckled, adding that he had to carefully choose parts of the wood grain that wouldn't interfere with the drawing. "I started with the protagonist, Yaiba, and by the time I got to Kojiro Sasaki, I was pretty exhausted."
He then sheepishly admitted, "As I was drawing, I realized the characters' faces looked a bit like Conan." It seems that after many years away from "Yaiba," his art style has naturally evolved, giving the "Yaiba" characters a slightly different look.
via： oricon news